Gravity operated car wash with releasable brush means

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION RELATES TO AUTOMOBILE WASHING WHEREIN BRUSHING UNITS TRAVERSE THE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED PLANAR SURFACES OF THE VEHICLE BODY AND PARTICULARLY THE FRONT, BOTH SIDES AND THE BACK SURFACES, AND WHEREIN THE UNITS CARRYING THE BRUSHING APPARATUS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY ARTICULATED INNER AND OUTER ARMS SUPPORTED FROM A STATIONARY STANDARD AND CARRYING POWERED BRUSH MEANS THAT ENGAGES THE SURFACES BEING WASHED SO AS TO ARTICULATE THE APPARATUS INTO MOVEMENT OVER SAID SURFACES. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS INVENTION RELEASABLE BRUSH MEANS IS BIASED TOWARD ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SAID SURFACES BY GRAVITATIONAL FORCES. TO THESE ENDS, THE SAID INNER AND OUTER ARMS AND SAID RELEASABLE BRUSH MEANS ARE EACH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED, ONE UPON THE NEXT, AND THE MOUNTING AXES THEREOF SO DISPOSED AS TO CREATE SWINGING ACTION OF THE BRUSH MEANS INTO RELEASABLE YIELDING PRESSURED ENGAGEMENT AGAINST THE AUTOMOBILE BODY SURFACES.

Dec. 14, 1971 w so 3,626,537

GRAVITY OPERATED CAR WASH WITH RELEASABLE BRUSH MEANS Filed Jan. 31, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

I /Z I| i fi"'" l ll H 1 4:? H

$3 40 INVENTOR. c 674R: 5'. W LSON Dec. 14, 1971 WILSON 3,626,537

GRAVITY OPERATED CAR WASH WITH RELEASABLE BRUSH MEANS Filed Jan. 31. 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i FIG 4% Y 7 7 7 2 26 Y Y 8 (S 2! FIG. 6. 6

Fla/0.

Jill/[III INVENTOR.

Y 15451 E. h/msozv E. E. WILSON 3,626,537

GRAVITY OPERATED CAR WASH WITH RELEASABLE BRUSH MEANS Dec. 14, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 31, 1969 FIG. 11.

nv VENTOR. 51m 1 MLsoN United States Patent Olhce 3,626,537 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 3,626,537 GRAVITY OPERATED CAR WASH WITH RELEASABLE BRUSH MEANS Earl E. Wilson, 1328 Newport Ave., Long Beach, Calif. 90804 Filed Jan. 31, 1969, Ser. No. 795,615 Int. Cl. B60s 3/06 US. C]. -21 D Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to automobile washing wherein brushing units traverse the substantially vertically disposed planar surfaces of the vehicle body and particularly the front, both sides and the back surfaces, and wherein the units carrying the brushing apparatus are characterized by articulated inner and outer arms supported from a stationary standard and carrying powered brush means that engages the surfaces being washed so as to articulate the apparatus into movement over said surfaces. In accordance with this invention releasable brush means is biased toward engagement with the said surfaces by gravitational forces. To these ends, the said inner and outer arms and said releasable brush means are each pivotally mounted, one upon the next, and the mounting axes thereof so disposed as to create swinging action of the brush means into releasable yielding pressured engagement against the automobile body surfaces.

The washing of automobiles has been automated to various extents, as circumstances require, and brushing units are available to wash the front, sides and back of the vehicle body. In order to accomplish automated brushing, the present state of this art provides a pair of complementary brushing units, each of primary character and each disposed in sequential order to scrub from the center and along a side of the automobile. The two brushing units that I make reference to are essentially right and left hand units of identical construction installed at opposite sides of an alley and each of which scrubs from the center of the automobile outwardly, longitudinally and then inwardly back to said center. The prior art provides such units with articulated arms, and it is customary to bias the arms in directions which cause the powered brush means of the apparatus to yieldingly engage the surfaces of the automobile to be washed. The customary bias has been the provision of positive actuating means such as springs, weight and pulley arrangements, and the like. And it is an object of this invention to eliminate means such as springs, weights and pulleys and the like, and to replace the necessary actuating function without additional parts. With the present invention there is a rearrangement of arm and powered brush means disposi tions which advantageously utilizes gravitational forces as the motivating power to yieldingly force the brush of the apparatus into pressured engagement with the automobile body surface to be Washed or scrubbed thereby.

The installation of such equipment is of permanent and/or durable nature and necessarily of rather heavy rugged construction. Since the concept herein is to advantageously employ gravitational forces, the weight of the arms is utilized as the prime moving force in each instance, to swing each arm toward a brush engagement condition with the automobile body. Consequently, each brushing unit comprises substantially weighty elements that must be initially positioned on operative axes for the desired rotative movement, and to these ends it is an object of this invention to provide supporting and adjustable mounting means for most effective disposition of each swinging arm and the powered brush means as well.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dual adjustment in the mounting means hereinabove referred to and to the end that each and every installation of the apparatus is assured of efficient and full operation. With this invention, full adjustment is made at each rotational axis, there being guides that direct the adjustments in right angularly related directions at opposite ends of the pivots, and to the end that any reasonably knowledgeable person installing the apparatus is lead to making proper adjustments. As a result, precise directions for installation can be supplemented by trial and error adjustments, and always with proper results.

Another object of this invention is to provide mounting means of dual adjustment, as hereinabove referred to, that enable the proper adjustment of an outer arm that is pivotally carried by an inner arm. In all instances, the mounting means provides for support of the arms even when loosened for adjustment, there being no danger of falling parts while the initial installation and/ or adjustments are made.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a powered brush means that is inherently released from brushing engagement as caused by a catching up or grabbing action of the brush that revolves into engagement with acute corners on the automobile body. With the present invention there is a revolving brush that is pivoted to swing in and out of engagement with the automobile body, and biased primarily by its own weight and yield ingly assisted by spring means into releasable pressured engagement with the surfaces being washed.

The various objects and features of this invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of the typical preferred form and application thereof, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a typical instal lation of the car wash brushing apparatus. FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the releasable brush means taken as indicated by line 2-2 on FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a view taken as indicated by line 33 on FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view taken as indicated by line 4-4 on FIG. 1. FIGS. 5 and 6 are views taken as indicated by lines 5-5 and 6-6 on FIG. 4. FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged detailed views taken of the inner arm support plates as indicated by lines 77 and 8-8 on FIG. 4. FIGS. 9 and 10 are enlarged detailed views taken of the outer arm support plates as indicated by lines 9-9 and 10-10 on FIG. 4. And FIGS. 11 through 14 are diagrammatic plan views showing the principal conditions of the apparatus as they occur during operation thereof.

The car wash brushing apparatus that I provide is adapted to scrub all four sides of automobiles compensating for variations in size and body shape, there being right and left hand primary brushing units P installed at opposite sides of an alley A through which the vehicle V is transported. It is significant that the right and left hand brushing units P are of identical construction whereby a description of one will suffice for both, said two units P being mirror opposites of each other.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the vehicle V is shown as a typical present day automobile, a sedan, that is being transported through the alley A which comprises a driveway 10 with wheel guides 11 and a conveyor 12. The driveway 10 is a longitudinal road that is paved and adapted to support the vehicle for rolling engagement forwardly through the car wash with or without the aid of the conveyor. That is, the vehicle V can be driven through the car wash and simply guided by the wheel guides 11. The wheel guide 11 is an elongate unit that receives the vehicle at the entry to the alley A, the conveyor 12 transports the vehicle throughout the length of the alley, and the vehicle is thereby delivered at the terminal end of the alley. The conveyor 12 can vary widely as circumstances require and, for example, can be a moving chain with hooks to engage and pull the vehicle, or it can be an automatic conveyor with rollers within the confines of the wheel guides 11 to engage the vehicle wheels to roll forwardly, and is shown in a typical form as a pusher-bar conveyor having a channel disposed longitudinally of or in the driveway 10, at and/or just inboard of the left hand wheels of the vehicle V. The conveyor channel houses a conveyor chain 13 or the like, and the pusherbar 14 projects upwardly from the driveway to engage be hind the rear bumper of the vehicle, immediately inboard of the left rear wheel. It is to be understood that the car wash per se may include, when desired, the other required pieces of equipment such as, for example, soap and/or water sprays, hood and top brushing units, and dryers (not shown).

A brushing unit P is installed at each side of the vehicle, there being opposite right hand and left hand units. Consequently, a normal installation involves a unit P at the right and a unit P at the left of the alley A. As shown, the two brushing units P are positioned so as to engage the vehicle V at subsantially the same time, but arranged so that the brushing engagement of one unit precedes that of the other, whereby the brushes of the two separate units do not interfere one with the other. For example, and in the preferred relationship, the brush of the left and brushing unit P is first to engage the vehicle V followed by engagement of the brush of the right hand brushing unit P. Consequently, the brushing functions of the two separate units P can overlap at the centerline of alley A without interfering with each other.

The brushing unit P, right or left, involves generally a mounting standard X, an inner arm Y pivotally carried by the standard, an outer arm Z pivotally carried by the first mentioned inner arm, and a releasable brush means B carried at the active or live end of the outer arm Z. The inner arm Y normally extends transversely of the alley A substantially at a right angle to the direction of travel of the vehicle being washed, while the outer arm Z normally extends at a right angle to and forwardly from the first mentioned arm. The said inner and outer arms Y and Z are disposed to extend horizontally and overhead above the vehicle V, and the powered brush means B normally depends vertically from the terminal end of the outer arm Z. The prior art teaches such arms Y and Z pivoted on vertically disposed axes with shear pins for disengagement of the brush means in case of a jamb, and in accordance with the present invention the pivoted axes of the arms Y and Z are displaced from the perpendicular in order to effect the actuation of the apparatus when the powered brush means B is activated and shear pins or the like are eliminated. The brush means B is pivoted to the terminal end of the arm Z so as to be releasable for safety purposes as later described.

The mounting standard X is a column located at the side of the alley A, and to the side of the vehicle V to be moved through the alley. For example, the mounting X can extend from the floor of the alley A to the ceiling, or otherwise braced, so as to be firm and secure. It is important that the standard X be perpendicular and plumb, so as to carry upper and lower journal means and in true vertical alignment. The journal means 20 and 25 are of complementary construction, being carried by the standard X in spaced opposition to each other. The upper journal means 20 comprises a bearing 21 shiftably secured to a downwardly faced horizontal plate 22 projecting from the standard X. The bearing 21 is a self-aligning antifriction bearing with a fiat mounting slideably engaged with the plate 22 for lateral placement. In accordance with the invention lateral guide means in the form of transversely disposed slots 23 are provided for receiving fasteners that clamp the bearing mounting in adjustably selected position on the plate 22. The lower journal means 25 comprises a bearing 26 shiftably secured to an upwardly faced horizontal plate 27 projecting from the standard X. The bearing 26 is a self-aligning antifriction bearing with a fiat rnounting shiftably engaged with the plate 27 for lateral placement. In accordance with the invention lateral guide means in the form of longitudinally disposed slots 28 are provided for receiving fasteners that clamp the bearing mounting in adjustably selected position on the plate 27. The slots 23 provide for inward shifting (see arrow in FIGS. 4 and 7) of a first pivotal axis a while maintaining fore and aft positioning; and the slots 28 provide for forward shifting (see arrows in FIGS. 5 and 8) of the axis a While maintaining the transverse positioning. Thus, the axis a is adapted to be displaced inwardly at its upper end and forwardly at its lower end, so as to establish an angle of depression that causes the inner arm Y (next to be described) to swing inwardly and rearwardly against a stop 29 from which it is free to be forcibly withdrawn.

The inner arm Y is pivotally carried on the angularly depressed axis a by said adjustable journal means 20 and 25 and extends (declining) horizontally inward to the center of and/or toward the opposite far side of the vehicle over which it swings. The inner arm Y is a rigid structure that usually articulates about 45 as shown in FIG. 13, from the stop 29 and to a limiting stop 29', being powered for return to stop 29 by means of gravity as controlled by the adjusted depression of the axis a. In normal use the inner arm Y swings through an arc of somewhat less than 45. Thus, the inner arm Y is yieldingly urged to the normal transverse position shown for example by the foremost unit in FIG. 11. In practice, the inner arm Y is about 6 feet in length, is stopped at 3 (or more) rotative displacement in the direction of travel, the height of the outer swinging end of the arm is adjusted at the upper journal means 20 to be approximately 1 /2 inches lower than at the axis a, and the lower journal means 25 (3 feet below the upper journal) is adjusted approximately 1 /2 inches forwardly in the direction of travel and displaced from the perpendicular. It will be apparent that these journal adjustments can be varied depending upon the desired force of return to stop 29. A shock absorber or motion damper S is provided to control the speed of operation (see FIG. 1).

The outer arm Z is pivotally carried on a second pivotal axis b by upper and lower journal means 30 and 35 at the swinging end of the first described inner arm Y. The said journal means 30 and 35 are opposed to each other in normal alignment at the terminal end of the inner arm Y, projecting laterally from and at a normal angle to the inner arm in the direction of travel. The journal means 30 and 35 are of complementary construction, being carried by the inner arm Y in spaced opposition to each other. The upper journal means comprises a bearing 31 shiftably secured to the lower face of a horizontal plate 32 projecting from the first arm. The bearing 31 is a self-aligning antifriction bearing with a flat mounting shiftably engaged with the plate 32 for lateral placement. In accordance with the invention lateral guide means in the form of longitudinally disposed slots 33 are provided for receiving fasteners that clamp the bearing mounting in adjustably selected position on the plate 32. The lower journal means 35 comprises a bearing 36 shiftably secured to an upper face of a horizontal plate 37 projecting from the first arm. The bearing 36 is a self-aligning antifriction bearing with a Hat mounting shiftably engaged with the plate 37 for lateral placement. In accordance with the invention lateral guide means in the form of transversely disposed slots 38 are provided for receiving fasteners that clamp the bearing plate 37 in adjustably selected position on the plate. The slots 33 provide for forward shifting (see arrows in FIGS. 6 and 9) of the said second pivotal axis 1) while maintaining transverse positioning; and the slots 38 provide for outward shifting (see arrows in FIGS. 4 and 10) of said axis b while maintaining fore and aft positioning. Thus, the axis b is adapted to be displaced forwardly at its upper end and outwardly at its lower end, so as to establish an angle of depression that causes the outer arm Z to swing inwardly against a stop 39 from which it is free to be forcibly withdrawn.

The outer arm Z is pivotally carried on the angularly depressed axis b by said adjustable journal means 30 and 35 and extends horizontally forward at a right angle from the inner arm Y. Like the inner arm Y, the outer arm Z also swings over the vehicle, being disposed in substantially the same plane of movement as the first mentioned inner arm. The arm Z is a rigid structure that articulates not more than about 90 as shown, from the stop 39 to a limiting stop 39, being powered for return to the stop 39 by means of gravity controlled by the adjusted depression of the axis b. In normal use, the outer arm Z is yieldingly urged to the normal forwardly extended position and/or normal to arm Y as shown for example by the foremost unit in FIG. 11. In practice, the outer arm Z is about feet in length, it is at a slightly obtuse angle 3 relative to arm Y, the upper journal means 30 is adjusted to lower the height of the outer swinging end of the arm and the lower journal means 35 is adjusted to move the lower end of axis b outwardly so as to control its depressive action, substantially as above described concerning inner arm Y so as to power the return to stop 39. For instance, in order to increase pressure of the brush means against the vehicle body, the upper journal 30 is adjusted to lower the arm Z, and the lower journal means 35 is adjusted outward from the perpendicular as may be required. A shock absorber or motion damper S is provided to control the speed of operation (see FIG. 1).

The releasable brush means B is a powered means, comprising a vertically disposed spindle 40 that is revolved by a drive 41. The brush 42 thereof is made up of a cylindrical core that has flexible bristles which flail outwardly by action of centrifugal force so as to impinge and wipe upon the vehicle body with a brushing action. The brush 42 of the right hand unit revolves clockwise (in plan view) while the brush 42 of the left hand unit revolves counter clockwise, and in accordance with the invention the spindle 40, electric motor and gear drive 41 and brush 42 are supported on a frame 43 that is pivotally carried on an axis 0 at the terminal end of the outer arm Z. Thus, the powered brush means B is a self-contained unit, the drive 41 revolving the spindle 40 with the brush 42 operative at its lowermost end. Axis c is disposed horizontally and transverselv of the outer end of arm Z and there is a stop 44 on the arm that limits rearward movement of the spindle 40 to a perpendicular position, normal with relation to the arm Z, and which permits free forward and/or outward swinging thereof. Preferably, the pivotal axis 0 is disposed diagonally so that the spindle 40 swings outwardly and away from the center of the vehicle V. In practice the axis 0 is pitched about 30 as shown, and this position is most effective in release of the brush means B throughout the critical front end contours of usual vehicle bodies (see FIGS. 1ll4). Gravity holds the spindle 40 in a depended position with the frame against the stop 44, and a spring 45 is provided to supplement this action and secure the powered brush means proper working position and against bouncing off of the stop 44.

From the foregoing, the simplicity of the brushlng units P should be obvious, there being a lack of apparent return means, with actuation dependent upon the presence of a vehicle body and rotation of the brushes 42. Firstly, the vehicle V is moved into engagement with the left hand brush unit P which commences scrubbing from the center out and along the left side of the vehicle, followed by movement into engagement with the right hand brush unit P which commences scrubbing from the center out and along the right side of the vehicle thereof (see FIGS. 11-14). Secondly, and referring now to the left hand unit P, the vehicle V continues to advance and which results in traverse of its brush 42 to the far left front corner of the vehicle as a result of bodily displacement of both inner and outer arms Y and Z. Thirdly, the vehicle V continues to advance and which results in the escape of the left hand brush 42 from the front to the left side of the vehicle and which results in scrubbing the said left side of the vehicle body and whereupon the rearward gravitational bias upon the arm Y causes the brush 42 to engage said left side of the vehicle body. Fourthly, the vehicle V continues to advance and which results in the escape of the brush 42 from the left side to the back of the vehicle and which permits the inner arm Y to reach the stop means 19 so as to cause the gravitational bias upon outer arm Z to move the brush 42 into engagement with the back of the vehicle body (see FIG. 14). Fifthly and finally, the vehicle V continues to advance and which causes the continued traverse of the brush 42 to the center or toward the right side of the vehicle V where the core of the brush 42 is restricted as by means of the stops 19 and 29 (see FIG. 14). The brushes 42 revolve as shown in order to have traction and to activate movement thereof against the side of the vehicle body, and so as to wipe and/or scrub around and into the various corners of the vehicle.

It will be understood that the left and right hand units -P operate the same, as shown in FIGS. 11-14; and in accordance with the invention the spindle 40 and brush 42 are free to pivot and swing away from brushing engagement with the vehicle body in the event that it is necessary for the brush 42 to move over and around projections or out of deep cavities and the like, thereby eliminating the danger of damage to the vehicle body.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A gravity operated brushing unit for scrubbing the front, one side and back of a vehicle body, and including a vertically disposed standard at one side of an alley through which the vehicle is transported and having a first pivotal axis, an inner arm carried on said first axis to swing horizontally to a normal transversely disposed position extended over the vehicle body and having a second pivotal axis at its swinging end remote from said first axis, a first stop on the standard limiting movement of the inner arm to its normal position and said first mentioned axis being displaced from perpendicular inwardly toward the vehicle at its upper end and forwardly in the direction of vehicle movement at its lower end thereby depressing the inner arm to swing into engagement with said first stop, an outer arm carried on said second axis to swing horizontally to a normal longitudinally disposed position extended forwardly over and in the direction of the vehicle transport, a second stop on the inner arm limiting movement of the outer arm to its normal position and said second mentioned axis being displaced from perpendicular forwardly in the direction of vehicle movement at its upper end and outwardly from the end of the inner arm at its lower end thereby depressing the outer arm to swing into engagement with said second stop, and a vertically disposed brush means depending from the swinging end of the outer arm and engageable sequentially with the front, one side and back of the vehicle body as a result of transport of the vehicle body forwardly to pass by said standard.

2. The gravity operated brushing unit as set forth in claim 1 and wherein there is means carrying the first and second axes selectively adjustable to position the same depressed from perpendicular.

3. The gravity operated brushing unit as set forth in claim 1 and wherein there is laterally shiftable journal means carrying the first and second axes selectively adjustable to position the same displaced from perpendicular.

4. The gravity operated brushing unit as set forth in claim 1 and wherein there is laterally shiftable self-aligning journal means carrying the first and second axes selectively adjustable to position the same displaced from perpendicular.

5. The gravity operated brushing unit as set forth in claim 1 and wherein there is upper and lower laterally shiftable journal means carrying the first and second axes selectively adjustable to position the same displaced from perpendicular.

6. The gravity operated brushing unit as set forth in claim 1 and wherein there is upper and lower laterally shiftable self-aligning journal means carrying the first and second axes selectively adjustable to position the same displaced from perpendicular.

7. The gravity operated brushing unit as set forth in claim 1 and wherein there is upper and lower laterally shiftable journal means carrying the first and second axes, the upper journal means at said first axis being shiftable transversely, and the upper journal means at said second axis being shiftable longitudinally, when the inner arm is in its normal position, and means selectively fixing the position of each of said journal means.

8. The gravity operated brushing unit as set forth in claim 1 and wherein there is upper and lower laterally shiftable journal means carrying the first and second axes, the lower journal means at said first axis being shiftable longitudinally, and the lower journal means at said second axis being shiftable transversely when the inner arm is in its normal position, and means selectively fixing the position of each of said journal means.

9. The gravity operated brushing unit as set forth in claim 1 and wherein there is upper and lower laterally shiftable journal means carrying the first and second axes, the upper journal means at said first axis being shiftable transversely and the lower journal means thereat being shiftable longitudinally and the upper journal means at said second axis being shiftable longitudinally when the inner arm is in its normal position, and the lower journal means thereat being shiftable transversely, and means selectively fixing the position of each of said journal means.

10. The gravity operated brushing unit as set forth in claim 1 and wherein there is upper and lower laterally shiftable self-aligning journal means carrying the first and second axes, the upper journal means at said first axis being shiftable transversely and the lower journal means thereat being shiftable longitudinally, and the upper journal means at said second axis being shiftable longitudinally when the inner arm is in its normal position, and the lower journal means thereat being shiftable transversely, and means selectively fixing the position of each of said journal means.

11. A gravity operated brushing unit for scrubbing the front, one side and back of a vehicle body, and including, a vertically disposed standard at one side of an alley through which the the vehicle is transported and having a first piovtal axis, an inner arm carried on said first axis to swing horizontally to a normal transversely disposed position extended over the vehicle body and having a second pivotal axis at its swinging end remote from said first axis, a first stop on the standard limiting movement of the inner arm to its normal position and said first mentioned axis being displaced from perpendicularly inwardly toward the vehicle at its upper end and forwardly in the direction of vehicle movement at its lower end thereby depressing the inner arm to swing into engagement with said first stop, an outer arm carried on said second axis to swing horizontally to a normal longitudinal disposed position extended forwardly over and in the direction of the vehicle transport and having a third horizontal pivotal axis transversely disposed at its swinging end remote from said second axis, a second stop on the inner arm limiting movement of the outer arm to its normal position and said second mentioned axis being displaced from perpendicular forwardly in the direction of vehicle movement at its upper end and outwardly from the end of the inner arm at its lower end thereby depressing the outer arm to swing into engagement with said second stop, a vertically disposed releasable brush means normally depending from the said third axis at the swinging end of the outer arm and engageable sequentially with the front, one side and back of the vehicle body as a result of transport of the vehicle body forwardly to pass by said standard, and a third stop on the outer arm limiting movement of the brush means to its normal depending position and said brush means being free to swing outwardly from the swinging end of the outer arm.

12. The gravity operated brushing unit with a pivotally depended releasable brush means as set forth in claim 11 and wherein said brush means is powered and with a brush revolved on a vertical axis and rotated in a direction for traction sequentially across the front, to the side, along the side to the back, and across the back toward the other side of the vehicle body.

13. The gravity operated brushing unit with a pivotally depended releasable brush means as set forth in claim 11 and wherein spring means yieldingly holds the brush means against said third stop.

14. The gravity operated brushing unit with a pivotally depended releasable brush means as set forth in claim 11 and wherein spring means yieldingly holds the brush means against said third stop and wherein said brush means is powered and with a brush revolved on a vertical axis and rotated in a direction for traction sequentially across the front, to the side, along the side to the back, and across the back toward the other side of the vehicle body.

15. The gravity operated brushing unit with a pivotal ly depended releasable brush means as set forth in claim 11 and wherein said brush means comprises a frame w tatable on said third pivotal axis and into engagement with said third stop, and is powered and with a brush revolved on a vertical axis and rotated in a direction for traction sequentially across the front, to the side, along the side to the back, and across the back toward the other side of the vehicle body.

16. The gravity operated brushing unit with a pivotally depended releasable brush means as set forth in claim 11, wherein said brush means comprises a frame rotatable on said third pivotal axis and wherein spring means yieldingly holds the brush means against said third stop, and is powered and with a brush revolved on a vertical axis and rotated in a direction for traction sequentially across the front, to the side, along the side to the back, and across the back toward the other side of the vehicle body.

17. A brushing unit for scrubbing the front, one side and back of a vehicle body, and including, a mounting at one side of the vehicle and having a vertically disposed first pivotal axis, an inner arm carried by said first pivotal axis and mounting therefor to swing horizontally to a normal transversely disposed position extended over the vehicle body and having a vertically disposed second p votal axis at its swinging end remote from the first p1votal axis, stop means faced in the direction of movement of the vehicle to limit rearward movement of the inner arm to said normal position, an outer arm carried by said second pivotal axis and inner arm to swing to a position extended forwardly over and in the direction of movement of the vehicle and having a third horizontal pivotal axis transversely disposed at its swinging end remote from said second axis, stop means faced toward the mounting and carried by the inner arm to limit outward swinging of the outer arm, releasable brush means rotatable on a vertically disposed axis and normally depending from the said third pivotal axis at the swinging end of the outer arm, and power means revolving the brush means in a direction for engageable traction sequentially across the front, to the side, along the side to the back, and across the back toward the other side of the vehicle body as a result of transport of the vehicle body forwardly to pass by said standard, a third stop on the outer arm faced away from the second pivotal axis limiting movement of the brush means to its normal depending position and said brush means being free to swing outwardly from the swinging end of the outer arm, and spring means yieldingly holding the brush means against said third stop.

18. The brushing unit with releasable brush means as set forth in claim 17 and wherein said spring means yieldingly holding the brush means against said third stop comprises a tension spring extending from an anchor point on the outer arm intermediate the said second and third pivotal axis to an anchor point on the brush means below the said third pivotal axis.

19. The brushing unit with releasable brush means as set forth in claim 17, wherein said brush means comprises a frame rotatable on said third pivotal axis and wherein spring means yieldingly holds the brush means against said third stop, said frame carrying the releasable brush means and power means therefor.

20. A brushing unit for scrubbing the front, one side and back of a vehicle body, and including, a mounting at one side of the vehicle and having a vertically disposed first pivotal axis, an inner arm carried by said first pivotal axis and mounting therefor to swing horizontally to a normal transversely disposed position extended over the vehicle body and having a vertically disposed second pivotal axis at its swinging end remote from the first pivotal axis, stop means faced in the direction of movement of the vehicle to limit rearward movement of the inner arm to said normal position, an outer arm carried by said second pivotal axis and inner arm to swing to a position extended forwardly over and in the direction of movement of the vehicle and having a third horizontal pivotal axis disposed diagonally toward said one side of the vehicle at its swinging end remote from said second axis, stop means faced toward the mounting and carried by the inner arm to limit outward swinging of the arm, a releasable brush means rotatable on a vertically disposed axis and normally depending from the said third pivotal axis at the swinging end of the outer arm, and power means revolving the brush means in a direction for en gageable traction sequentially across the front, to the side, along the side to the back, and across the back toward the other side of the vehicle body as a result of transport of the vehicle body forwardly to pass by said standard, and a third stop on the outer arm faced away from the second pivotal axis and diagonally toward said one side of the vehicle and limiting movement of the brush means to its normal depending position and said brush means being free to swing outwardly from the swinging end of the outer arm and away from the vehicle and toward said one side thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,350,733 11/1967 Hanna 15-21 C.3 3,366,986 2/1968 Weigele et al 1521 C.3 3,434,172 3/1969 Wilson 15-21 03 3,466,688 9/1969 Fuhring et a1 1521 C.3

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,532,722 6/1968 France.

EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R 15-Dig 2 

